Simon Spilak (Lampre) claimed the fourth stage of the 2010 Tour de Romandie on Saturday, soloing to win the rain-soaked stage.
Slovak sensation Peter Sagan (Liquigas) beat Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) in the sprint for second, although by the way Sagan raised his arms as he crossed the line he must have missed the news that Spilak had won 13 second previously.
Race leader Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) maintained his position at the top of the overall classification. His closest rival, Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) finished fifith and is just one second behind Rogers on GC.
Spilak's stage win moved him up to third overall, five seconds adrift of Rogers.
British sprinter Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) did not start stage four as his team had withdrawn him from the race as a result of his two-finger salute on stage two. The Manxman stuck his fingers up as he crossed the line to win the stage on Thursday, a gesture which evidently did not sit well with HTC-Columbia.
Sunday's final stage of the five-day Swiss event features three first category climbs - the fight for the overall classification is far from over.
RESULTS
Tour de Romandie 2010, stage four: Vevey-Chatel
1. Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini 157.9km in 4-05-25
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo at 13secs
3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at same time
Overall classification
1. Michael Rogers (Aus) HTC-Columbia
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne at 1sec
3. Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre-Farnese Vini at 5secs
Simon Spilak goes solo in wet conditions to take the stage win
Peter Sagan celebrates his second place
Michael Rogers retained the race lead over second-placed Alejandro Valverde
Related links
Cavendish withdrawn from Romandie by team
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
